Scottish Association for Marine Science

About: Scottish Association for Marine Science is a facility organization based out in Oban, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Sea ice & Benthic zone. The organization has 524 authors who have published 1765 publications receiving 70783 citations. The organization is also known as: SAMS & Scottish Marine Station for Scientific Research.

Domoic Acid production by Pseudo-nitzschia seriata(Bacillariophyceae) in Scottish waters

Abstract: In 1999, a 49,000km2 area in western Scottish waters was closed to shellfish harvesting due to the amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) toxin domoicacid (DA). The only previously confirmed DA producer identified had been Pseudo-nitzschia australis Frenguelli. The toxin has appeared every year since and has led to more harvesting closures. We isolated and cultured two strains of Pseudo-nitzschia seriata f. seriata (P. T. Cleve) H. Peragallo from western Scottish waters in 2001 and 2002. They were identified using TEM analysis of their morphological fine structure and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1, 5.8S, ITS2, and partial large subunit (LSU) rDNA. The morphology of the Scottish P. seriata f. seriata strains differed slightly, for example, in the number of poroid rows, from descriptions in identification keys. Comparison of P. seriata sequences with those of two co-occurring Pseudo-nitzschia australis isolates showed an overall divergence of only 0.012. Sequence divergence between both species was highest in the ITS1 region (0.036). Combined morphological and genetic approache sare needed to identify closely related Pseudo-nitzschia species. The P. seriata strains grew successfully at 15 degrees C, suggesting that although see nas a psychrophilic species, it may also occur at higher water temperatures. All isolates produced DA in stationary phase (measured on day 25): 0.16–0.23 pg DA.per cell in P. seriata and 0.15–1.68 pg DA per cell in P. australis. Our study is the first to identify P. seriata f. seriata as a DA producer in Scottish waters and indicates that at least it and P. australis can be responsible for ASP toxicity in that region.

A new view of the underside of Arctic sea ice

Abstract: The Autosub-II autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), operating off NE Greenland in August 2004, obtained the first successful swath sonar measurements under sea ice, showing in unprecedented detail the three-dimensional nature of the under-ice surface. The vehicle, operated from RRS James Clark Ross, obtained more than 450 track-km of under-ice multibeam data. We show imagery from first- and multiyear ice, including young ridges, old hummocks and undeformed melting ice. In addition, we show how the combination of other on-board sensors enabled the vehicle to obtain detailed information about seabed topography, water structure and current fields in an exploratory mode within a region which is seldom visited because of difficult year-round ice conditions. This included identification of a new current regime in the Norske Trough.

Developing a list of invasive alien species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the European Union

Abstract: The European Union (EU) has recently published its first list of invasive alien species(IAS) of EU concern to which current legislation must apply. The list comprises speciesknown to pose great threats to biodiversity and needs to be maintained and updated.Horizon scanning is seen as critical to identify the most threatening potential IAS thatdo not yet occur in Europe to be subsequently risk assessed for future listing. Accord-ingly, we present a systematic consensus horizon scanning procedure to derive a rankedlist of potential IAS likely to arrive, establish, spread and have an impact on biodiversityin the region over the next decade. The approach is unique in the continental scaleexamined, the breadth of taxonomic groups and environments considered, and themethods and data sources used. International experts were brought together to addressfive broad thematic groups of potential IAS. For each thematic group the experts firstindependently assembled lists of potential IAS not yet established in the EU but poten-tially threatening biodiversity if introduced. Experts were asked to score the specieswithin their thematic group for their separate likelihoods of i) arrival, ii) establishment,iii) spread, and iv) magnitude of the potential negative impact on biodiversity within theEU. Experts then convened for a 2‐day workshop applying consensus methods to com-pile a ranked list of potential IAS. From an initial working list of 329 species, a list of 66species not yet established in the EU that were considered to be very high (8 species),high (40 species) or medium (18 species) risk species was derived. Here, we presentthese species highlighting the potential negative impacts and the most likely biogeo-graphic regions to be affected by these potential IAS.

A place-based approach to payments for ecosystem services

Abstract: Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes are proliferating but are challenged by insufficient attention to spatial and temporal inter-dependencies, interactions between different ecosystems and their services, and the need for multi-level governance. To address these challenges, this paper develops a place-based approach to the development and implementation of PES schemes that incorporates multi-level governance, bundling or layering of services across multiple scales, and shared values for ecosystem services. The approach is evaluated and illustrated using case study research to develop an explicitly place-based PES scheme, the Peatland Code, owned and managed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s UK Peatland Programme and designed to pay for restoration of peatland habitats. Buyers preferred bundled schemes with premium pricing of a primary service, contrasting with sellers’ preferences for quantifying and marketing services separately in a layered scheme. There was limited awareness among key business sectors of dependencies on ecosystem services, or the risks and opportunities arising from their management. Companies with financial links to peatlands or a strong environmental sustainability focus were interested in the scheme, particularly in relation to climate regulation, water quality, biodiversity and flood risk mitigation benefits. Visitors were most interested in donating to projects that benefited wildlife and were willing to donate around £2 on-site during a visit. Sellers agreed a deliberated fair price per tonne of CO2 equivalent from £11.18 to £15.65 across four sites in Scotland, with this range primarily driven by spatial variation in habitat degradation. In the Peak District, perceived declines in sheep and grouse productivity arising from ditch blocking led to substantially higher prices, but in other regions ditch blocking was viewed more positively. The Peatland Code was developed in close collaboration with stakeholders at catchment, landscape and national scales, enabling multi-level governance of the management and delivery of ecosystem services across these scales. Place-based PES schemes can mitigate negative trade-offs between ecosystem services, more effectively include cultural ecosystem services and engage with and empower diverse stakeholders in scheme design and governance.